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Changing Economic Balances and Integration in Africa Rising

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Mistra Description

​The Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) publication titled: Changing Economic Balances and Integration in Africa Rising examines what happens to geopolitics when economic balances change between neighbours and between regions?​ Does the emergence of rising powers and dislocation of
incumbents matter in the development trajectories of countries and regions? In
contemporary Africa, what happens if the economic balance changes between
Nigeria, South Africa, and other countries and how will regional politics be
affected? Those and other questions are what inspired MISTRA to undertake a
macro-analysis study of what can be referred to as changing economic balances
in Africa.

History records a number of instances where the change
in economic balances often leads to heightened political and diplomatic
tensions, including escalations to war: for example, the rise of Athens against
Sparta, and the rise of Germany against a dominant Britain a century ago. Indeed, the record shows that a country’s
self-perception, self-projection and a sense of prestige can be affected by its
newly found status and capabilities and thus impact on the quality of relations
with others. In some instances, these changes can express themselves through
competition for regional and overseas markets and even imperial dominion over
territory, as was the case in Europe with the 19th century Scramble
for Africa. Today, the rebalancing of power between Japan and China finds
expression in claims and counter-claims over the islands in the South and East
China seas.​

To purchase a copy of this publication please contact Angela McClelland at angela@ste.co.za or 011 646 2844. ​